6. The Money Sleeping on the Shop Floor
Release cash blocked in work-in-progress
PPC Journey 7 of 18
The Fast Factory
The fastest factory isn't the one that works harder. It's the one that waits less.
Cut manufacturing lead time and bring cash in sooner
Flow, speed and capacity
What this journey is about
A product needs six hours of value-added work, yet spends 28 days inside the factory. Where did the other days go?
Lead time isn't one problem. It is hundreds of small waiting decisions: queues, inspection, movement, approvals and changing priorities.
This journey separates processing time from waiting time. When lead time falls from 28 days to 18, cash arrives 10 days earlier and customers can depend on the dates you give them.
Key idea
Speed is not about running. It's about not stopping.
Where we look in your plant
Episodes
8 episodes
Each episode follows one factory story, the business numbers behind it, and one action for Monday morning.
- EP 01Where Did the Other 20 Days Go?
- EP 02The Calendar Was Never the Problem
- EP 03Every Delay Has an Address
- EP 04The Fastest Machine Didn't Win
- EP 05The Day the Factory Stopped Firefighting
- EP 06The Factory That Borrowed Time
- EP 07Time Became the Competitive Advantage
- EP 08The Factory That Learned to Move
Next step
Does this sound like your plant?
We measure where your plant stands today, agree the target with you and work alongside your team until it is reached. We charge on success fees.
Continue the series
Previous and next journey
8. The Invisible Factory
Create capacity without capital investment
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is PPC Journey 7, The Fast Factory, about?
A product needs six hours of value-added work, yet spends 28 days inside the factory. Where did the other days go? Lead time isn't one problem. It is hundreds of small waiting decisions: queues, inspection, movement, approvals and changing priorities. This journey separates processing time from waiting time. When lead time falls from 28 days to 18, cash arrives 10 days earlier and customers can depend on the dates you give them.
What is the key idea of The Fast Factory?
Speed is not about running. It's about not stopping.
Which episodes are in The Fast Factory?
The Fast Factory has 8 episodes: Where Did the Other 20 Days Go?, The Calendar Was Never the Problem, Every Delay Has an Address, The Fastest Machine Didn't Win, The Day the Factory Stopped Firefighting, The Factory That Borrowed Time, Time Became the Competitive Advantage and The Factory That Learned to Move.